Dear Fels Alumni and Friends:

We are proud to announce that Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter will be the featured speaker at this year's graduation ceremony on May 18, 2008. In his first months in office, Mayor Nutter has distinguished himself as a national figure in the effort to reinvigorate our nation's cities, and his leadership has brought a new vision of opportunity and aspiration to the city of Philadelphia. We are deeply honored that he will address this year’s graduates. For more information on this year's graduation ceremony, including a list of student award winners, click here.

In other news, on April 10-11, Fels partnered with the Wharton School’s Aresty Institute of Executive Education to present a special leadership training program for top leaders in Philadelphia city government. The city’s managing director, Dr. Camille Barnett, said afterwards that “our partnership with the Fels Institute and Wharton allows us to benefit from best practices in both the public and business sectors.” The program, she explained, has “given us a common experience and a common language. But most importantly, this program imbues us with courage and hope, the leadership values that are essential to accomplishing what lays ahead of us.” (For more details about this program, click here) This program is just part of a significant Fels effort to support the new administration’s effort to improve the quality of leadership and management in city government.

We are happy to report as well that, thanks to the enormous generosity of our friends and alumni, we have raised over $100,000 this year for student scholarship support. These generous contributions are critical to Fels’ future since, unlike many of our peers, we have no endowment and no source of financial aid except for the funds we can raise ourselves. If you have not yet made your annual gift, we hope you will consider this opportunity to ensure that no student will decide not to attend Fels for financial reasons. You can make your gift online at https://galaxy.isc-seo.upenn.edu/pls/devadmin/dvpk0100.nv00?p_school=SAS&p_fund=628581.

At the end of June, my term as Fels director will be ending and I’ll be returning to the faculty, where I’ll continue to teach at Fels and be associated with the program. A search is now underway for an executive director to replace me, and we’ll share news about the appointment as soon as it’s made. In the meantime, though, I want to express my deep thanks to all of you. Serving as Fels director has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. Fels alumni are among the most accomplished public servants I have ever had the privilege to know, and the University is committed to continuing the great Fels tradition. I have been very glad to have had the chance to be a part of it.

With best wishes,



Don Kettl
Director

.   .   .   .   .   .

Fels Alumni Now Eligible for Certificates

Graduates who attended Fels before the Certificate program was established are now eligible to return to Fels for a certificate in Public Finance, Nonprofit Administration, Economic Development & Growth , or Politics. For graduates who already have their MGA, a minimum of one additional course must be taken even if other requirements for the certificate have been met. For additional information, contact Michelle Garcia, Admissions Director, at garciana@sas.upenn.edu or 215.746.6684.

Creating a Legacy through Planned Giving

Planned giving offers you the opportunity to make a gift that costs nothing during your lifetime, yet creates a lasting legacy. There are many types of planned gifts--bequests, life insurance policies, and appreciated stock are just a few of the options available to you that each offer donor benefits. In the words of one Fels grad:

"Without the scholarship funds I received, there is no way I could have participated in a full-time graduate program like Fels. Now, after a long and rewarding career I want to make sure that Fels as an institution thrives and that future students get the kind of chance I got to experience at Fels. I am not a wealthy person but I have decided that my estate will go to charity when I leave this life. When making up my will, I identified four significant institutions that made a difference in my life—at the top of the list was Fels.

Making a bequest is an easy way to make a major gift to our institution. Please join me and consider the ways that you can support the future of Fels and its students through a planned gift."

Jorene Jameson, MGA ‘71

If you are considering a planned gift, the Office of Gift Planning at Penn has many resources available, including a legacy planner and gift plan comparison. Visit http://www.upenn.planyourlegacy.org/index.php to learn more.

Myths About Planned Giving (courtesy of the Planned Giving Council of Greater Philadelphia)

a. Myth #1: The process is too complicated.
False. Leaving a charitable bequest is not complicated at all. Anyone who writes a will can include a charitable bequest at little or no additional cost.

b. Myth #2: I need to have a large net worth to leave a meaningful legacy.
False. Anyone with a positive net worth may leave a portion of their estate to charity. It will be a meaningful gift to your favorite group of choice.

c. Myth #3: I need to use the services of a professional tax or financial advisor, and it can be expensive.
False. It’s always helpful to receive professional tax and financial advice, especially for larger or more complex estates. But most gifts by will can be drafted simply by an attorney. Your favorite charity will tell you how.

d. Myth #4: Once I set up my legacy, I cannot change it.
False. The charitable beneficiaries indicated in your will can be changed at very little cost by a simple amendment to your will, which is called a codicil.

Top Ten Things You Can Do to LEAVE A LEGACY

1. Prepare a will. Fully 50% of Americans die without a will. Without one, you lose control of the assets you worked a lifetime to acquire.

2. Leave gifts in your will for the charitable organizations that have made a difference in your life. Fewer than 10% of households in the United States actually make a charitable bequest. Imagine the positive impact in your community if everyone made even a modest donation to a favorite nonprofit organization.

3. Leave a specific dollar amount or a percentage of your estate to your favorite charities. The provision can be part of a new will or added to your existing will as a codicil.

4. "Endow" your annual gift to your favorite charity by making a bequest equal to 20 times that amount.

5. Name your favorite charity as the beneficiary of your IRA or pension plan.

6. Name your favorite charity as the beneficiary of a new or existing life insurance policy.

7. Make a gift of a new or existing life insurance policy to your favorite charity.

8. Remember deceased loved ones with memorial gifts to charities.

9. Encourage family members and friends to leave gifts to charities in their wills.

10. Ask your financial advisor to include charitable giving as part of his/her counsel to other clients.
.   .   .   .   .   .

Class Notes

Robert Carlson '88 has been a Foreign Service officer with the US Department of State for over 19 years. He is currently Chief of the Political, Economic, and Commercial Section of the US Consulate General in Naples, Italy. He lives with his wife, Miryam, and their little daugther, Diana.

Roberto (Bob) Feliciano '92 was appointed to his current position as Assistant Secretary for Plans and Programs at the Department of National Defense of the Republic of the Philippines in October 2006. He previously served as Department Head of the Project  Management Office of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and in 2002 completed the Masters in National Security Administration degree program at the National Defense College of the Philippines.

Steve Genyk '93 has joined Janney Montgomery Scott as a Senior Vice President and Managing Director.

Donna Ann Harris '94 recently returned to Philadelphia from Chicago. She is the principal of Heritage Consulting Inc., a firm with three practice areas: historic preservation, downtown and commercial district revitalization, and nonprofit organizational development. 

Jack Thomas Tomarchio '95 was recently promoted from Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Intelligence and Analysis at the US Dapartment of Homeland Security to Deputy Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis Operations, US Dapartment of Homeland Security. He can be reached at jack.tomarchio@dhs.gov

Adam J. Cohen '02 has joined the Rockville-based law firm of Stein, Sperling, Bennett, De Jong, Driscoll & Greenfeig, where he will provide both legal and legislative counsel to local governments
and associations as part of the firm's municipal law section, as well as practice in the firm's business law section.

Rebecca Kirszner '02 was recently engaged to James Katz, a New York native pursuing degrees in law and public policy at Harvard. Kirszner and Katz, who now live in Cambridge, MA, met while working on John Edwards' 2004 presidential campaign, and began dating in 2006.

Lara Hoffman '03 and her husband Nishad recently welcomed a son, Remi Brooks Hoffman Chande.

Jeanette Lewis '03 has relocated to NYC after spending four and a half years on the West Coast. She is now working at the World Lung Foundation in New York City as Special Assistant for the Management and Planning Department. 

Bart Marsh '03 has accepted orders to Joint Forces Command Washington Liaison Office. He is a LCDR in the US Navy working military issues in both the Pentagon and Capitol Hill for the Joint Forces Commander, Gen. James N. Mattis.

Gina Koo (Yu) '03 recently joined The Nonprofit Finance Fund.

Allan Medwick '04 received the 2008 Lewis Barbato Award from the American College Health Association in June.

Phil Selden ’04 recently testified before the Maryland State Senate as part of his confirmation hearing to become Chairman of the statewide Maryland Board of Airport Zoning Appeals. Phil was appointed
to this position by Maryland Governor Martin J. O’Malley. Phil appreciates the assistance of two Fels alums: Matt Gallagher ’97 (Deputy Chief of Staff, Governor O’Malley) and Chris Patusky ’01 (Director, Office of Real Estate, MD Department of Transportation) for their guidance throughout the process.

Anthony Hollingworth ’05 has joined Gartner Inc. as a consultant.

Denise Finley '07 is the new Associate Director of the National Bone Marrow Transplant Link in Michigan.

Anthony Gil '07, Assistant District Attorney for Montgomery County, PA, was interviewed regarding a stalking and harassment case that he recently prosecuted...read more. He was also interviewed regarding his prosecution of an elected Montgomery County constable for official oppression...read more.

Frank Igwe '07 successfully defended his dissertation at Penn State this January, and is now a Fellow at Harvard University (The Hauser Center).

Submit your class notes to jillian2@sas.upenn.edu

.   .   .   .   .   .

The Fels Institute of Government is located at 3814 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA. We welcome your comments and suggestions at jillian2@sas.upenn.edu.